Carter just keeps adding to his resume

On Monday, he picked up his second Western Athletic Conference Pacific Division player of the week honor this season - with more than half of the league schedule still ahead.

"Usually, I don't like those kind of awards because they take away from team play," said UH head coach Riley Wallace. "But A.C. doesn't let things like that get to him.

"He just wants to win and to make everybody around him better."

About the only question mark on Carter's early play for the Rainbows was centered around his outside shooting.

But since the WAC season started, he has quieted those critics - and is still distributing the ball and running the fast break.

Against Colorado State and Wyoming last week, he shot 81 percent (17-21) from the field, scoring 16 points - with nine assists - against the Rams Thursday and had a game-high 22 points against the Cowboys Saturday.

Carter is averaging a team-leading 18.1 points per game and 21.2 in conference play.

Tulsa senior Shea Seals won the Mountain Division award Monday.

The swingman led the Golden Hurricane to WAC victories over Rice, No. 12 New Mexico and UTEP, averaging 18.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 4.3 steals in those three games.

Others nominated in the Pacific Division were: Mike Freeman of Air Force and Olivier Saint-Jean of San Jose State.

WHITEHEAD OUT

Wyoming's LaDrell Whitehead, the WAC's leading scorer, is out for the season with a dislocated elbow that he suffered against Hawaii.

Ironically, the 5-9 junior guard had started every game of his college career (71).

He was averaging 25.1 points per game, which was also good for fourth in the nation.

POLL POINTS

The Rainbows picked up 15 points in the Associated Press writers' poll, which is good for No. 40.

In the RPI (Rating Percentage Index), which is used by the NCAA in its selection of at-large teams and the seeding of all teams for the NCAA tournament, Hawaii remained at No. 57 this week out of 305 teams.

The RPI ratings for UH's opponents in the three-game road trip that starts Saturday are: San Diego State (No. 127), San Jose State (No. 90) and Fresno State (No. 50).

Fresno State is in first place in the WAC Pacific Division with a 4-0 record (12-6 overall) after the Bulldogs beat UNLV in a nationally televised game Monday night.

The Rainbows are alone in second place at 4-1 (12-3 overall).

San Diego State is tied for third with UNLV at 3-1 (11-4 overall) and San Jose State is tied for last at 1-3 (9-5 overall).

WAC TOURNAMENT TICKETS

Tickets for the 1997 WAC men's and women's basketball tournaments in Las Vegas March 3-8 are now on sale.

Lower level tournament packages are $120 and upper level are $90.

Tickets can be ordered through TicketMaster at 702-474-4000 or the Thomas and Mack Center box office at 702-895-3900.

Individual tickets, if available, can be purchased at the Thomas and Mack begining March 3.

MOOSE LOOSE

Larry "Moose" Stubing was asked by a fan at the Special Events Arena just before he refereed the Colorado State-Hawaii game: "Is that you on the baseball card I have?"

Stubing, a former Pacific Coast League manager who is currently a coach with the California Angels, said that it was, indeed, him.

"Do you like being a ref better than a manager?" the fan asked.

"This is a lot easier," Stubing said with a laugh. "Plus, they can't fire me out here."

Stubing said that he will referee in the WAC men's tournament before leaving for the Angels spring training camp in West Palm Beach, Fla.